


poor taste

by notwit



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-07-15 09:33:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7217095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notwit/pseuds/notwit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>collection of various drabbles based on ongoing rp series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. young

**Author's Note:**

> the main rp is based in the batman universe, a few drabbles are based in a gravity falls au. not posted to the batman fandom because i'm not entirely comfy with that. largely unbeta-d.

Victoria had sadly become used to these types of situations, puffing her chest out, fighting to contain the rage threatening to overflow. She couldn't keep it from her voice though, it was strong and angry, intimidating even with the slight waver of fear and sadness that always came alongside the anger.

She was new in town, her family had only moved in days prior and she was already chasing off some assholes who decided to pick on another student. He looked older than her by a few years, probably a few grades ahead of her. For a moment, as the anger slowly dissipated, it turned to fear that maybe she shouldn't have come to his aid. What if he didn't take well to being "saved" by a girl? Especially one younger than him? 

He didn't seem to give her any attention though as he quickly collected his scattered books and papers. He sighed, looking over a pair of glasses that had seemingly been knocked off. A thin crack ran through one of the lenses. She had the feeling that he was also used to these kind of situations.

After a moment she clears her throat nervously and immediately freezes when he finally turns to her. Briefly she wondered how anyone didn't freeze under that icy blue gaze.

"I--um..." she glances away, unable to hold his gaze, as she stammers, "Are-are you alright?"


	2. reunion

Music played softly throughout the room, a rhythmic soft tune, something easy to dance to. Not that Jonathan would dance to any music. He could admit that it was pleasant, although strange to hear in a library, even if it was before operating hours. A frown pulled at his face as he made his way through the room though. The university had hired on a new librarian after the last finally retired and he wasn't entirely sure that the idea of the replacement playing music boded well for how well he would tolerate them. As most people did, Jonathan expected the likes of a demure or stern older woman in such a position but the choice of music brought on the image of someone younger.

As he rounded the corner and found himself gazing upon a younger woman, perhaps a few years younger than himself, he found himself almost confused for a moment. Her hair was a light auburn, curled slightly, and reminded him of a blaze, fire, a flash of anger--it reminded him of...

"Oh! Sorry about the music, it just...trying to calm myself a bit before my first day, y'know?" she spoke softly but quickly as she reached over to turn the music that had seemingly been playing from a laptop off. Jonathan nodded slightly, more out of reflex than anything else, but the woman still hadn't looked up, her hands returning to a pile of papers that she was currently flipping through intently. Undeterred by his silence however, she continued, "I should probably introduce myself though, I'm Ms. Dawson...new librarian here...obviously..."

"Dawson?" Jonathan found himself asking aloud before he had really even thought about it. This couldn't be the same girl, not after all this time and distance. What were the chances that they would end up in the same place?

She hummed in response, skimming over the last page before arranging the pile of paper neatly on her desk. "Yes, but you can call me Vic--" Halfway through her own name, she finally looks up to him, frozen momentarily by that icy blue gaze. Again, she wondered how they didn't have that effect on everyone. "--toria," she awkwardly finishes a few moments later. She manages to hold his gaze this time.


	3. guest

"Pleeeease, sit down, I won't bite."

A sing-song voice rings out in the darkness, tinged with a dark edge that promised nothing good. Victoria takes a long breath before closing her eyes and obliging the voice and taking a seat at her kitchen table. Coming home to find a costumed man waiting for her was not at all how she saw her night going. She hadn't noticed him until he had walked into the kitchen after her, turning off the light she had flicked on moments earlier. So much for getting a good night's rest. She suddenly regretted not having invested in a security system or perhaps even adopting a scary dog.

"I don't intend to do any harm to you tonight, no need to worry." He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone but still managed to sound amused with himself.

Victoria tilted her head though, giving him an almost annoyed look.

"Tonight? Do you mean to suggest that you're planning on dropping in like this again?" There's more bite to her voice than she would have expected in such a situation.

He's silent for a few moments and Victoria is sure that he's smirking beneath that damned burlap sack of a mask that he's wearing.

"Perhaps," is his simple reply. The word lingers on his tongue and in the air for a moment in a way that makes it obvious to her that he really means yes.

Victoria hums in annoyance, staring at him in silence for a moment, calculating what her next move should be. There was nowhere for her to escape to, he was blocking the one exit from the kitchen. Even if she could manage to get past him, she had a feeling that his lithe form would be quick enough to catch her and there was no telling what kind of weapon he might possibly have on him. Her eyes close for a moment and she bites her tongue.

"What do you want then?"


	4. nostalgia

"Whaaat? Oh, come on, you can't be a human, that's so boring!"

Jonathan lets out something between a scoff and a huff of laughter. Victoria crosses her arms and pouts her lips slightly, leaning back against the bark of the tree they were currently sitting under. A book decorated with images of dragons and wizards lay open on her lap. This had become part of their daily routine, coming out to sit beneath this tree, away from everyone else. Away from their own troubles. Of course, this bit of solace occasionally caused them more trouble but they both seemed to think it was worth the bit of peace they found together.

After a moment, she sighs and leans forward again.

"I mean....the alchemist thing is cool but playing a human sounds so boring. You should at least be a half elf or something!"

He laughs again at how passionate she's getting about a simple roleplaying game. They weren't even really planning to play (she had admitted that a game with just the two of them would be awkward at best), Victoria had only talked him into creating a character and letting her explain the game's world to him.

"What kind of character do you have then?" he finally asks, mimicking her movements by crossing his arms and leaning back.

Victoria's eyes immediately lit up and a large, genuine smile pulls at her face. He couldn't help but to give her a small grin in return.

"She's a gnome warrior!" she exclaims and he can tell that she's actually holding some of her excitement back, "I don't actually have a name for her yet, but she's tiny and a total badass."

There's only a beat of silence between the two of them as Jonathan takes in the idea of a gnome warrior and Victoria beams at him before she suddenly gasps and begins flipping through her book.

"Ohhhhh, why didn't I think of it earlier, it'd be perfect!" she exclaims, finally stopping at a page and turning the book towards him, "You could play as a Drow!"

Jonathan takes the book from her carefully, almost respectfully. Victoria's noticed that he's like that with books. She finds it a bit strange but doesn't say anything to him about it. He skims over images of dark skinned elves before turning his attention to the text, giving it his full attention. Halfway through the first page, he's decided that he's sold. A Drow would indeed be perfect.


	5. zombies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> zombie au. obviously.

All things come to an end and she had always felt that her ending would be much less than spectacular. She didn’t think that it would be quite like this though.

She hissed through her teeth, her knuckles white as she gripped the metal pipe as tight as she could, pushing endlessly at the body above her. It was foolish of her to have come out on her own but she just needed some time, just a moment to her self. Ever since this hell had broken out, Victoria hadn’t had a single moment to herself. She didn’t have a problem being with her brother, Antigone, and Jonathan, but she just needed a damn moment to be alone.

And now she had a dead man coming at her throat. Their strength always surprised her. Even the lanky ones could easily take most people down.

There were sure to be marks down her arm where it had scratched and gripped at her, but she was able to keep it’s mouth just far away enough so that it couldn’t quite reach her. Her arms where beginning to tire though.

Victoria let out a frustrated yell, pushing forward with the bar uselessly. Her eyes closed, quietly resigning to her fate. Just as she began to relax her arms, she heard a _thud_ and the weight against her body was suddenly lifted. She listened as someone took care of the zombie, not opening her eyes, letting out a small sigh of relief. She didn’t have to look to know who it was. Oliver and Antigone wouldn’t have been so quiet in their approach. Another exhale, this time a bit less relaxed because she knew he wouldn’t be too happy with her, and slowly opened her eyes, glancing quickly at him.

A small glare was in his eyes, only enhancing the icy edge to them. But there was also worry. He pulled his mask down and she braced for the scolding she knew was coming. Surprisingly, he just sighed and walked towards her, grabbing her wrist.

“Come on, let’s go,” was all he said.


	6. morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gravity falls au

Waking up in the Mystery Shack was a strange feeling–a feeling that was only amplified once she remembered why she was waking up in a strange need in the first place. The fact that her apartment had been completely destroyed in Harvey’s rampage through the town was only a small piece of everything that has happened the day before but that small piece had landed her in the Shack’s extra room after Jonathan had persisted she stayed somewhere familiar and safe. 

While it was true that the Shack was indeed familiar to her, there was a very strong sense of being out of place in the home outside of work. Especially so early in the morning, listening to birds chirping outside, light filtering into the room, all with a very lazy feeling to it. It was comfortable and, well, homey. 

Despite the comfort, she felt incredibly out of place in the quiet. It was still very early, the sun was just now rising and from the sound of things, no one else was up and about. Her stomach growled quietly, signaling to her that leaving the room and getting something to eat would be very much appreciated, especially after such an incredibly hectic day that ended with her collapsing into bed without dinner. 

Another growl, a defeated groan, and Victoria was quietly making her way towards the kitchen. 

\-------------------- 

"Good morning." 

Victoria jumped, startled at the sound of a voice breaking through the quiet of the morning. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Jonathan standing in the doorway, a small smirk on his face. 

She frowned at that. 

"G-good morning," she stammered quietly. She awkwardly stepped back from the open refrigerator, allowing it to swing shut, suddenly feeling like a child that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. 

He smiled at her. 

"Hungry, huh?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at her. 

"...is it that obvious?" Victoria asked softly, her voice sincere with just the smallest hint of hesitant amusement. Jonathan let out a laugh, stepping into the room. 

"Only a bit," he answered as he moved to stand in front of her, tilting his head to the side, silently asking her to move. 

“Ah, sorry,” she quickly apologized, ducking her head as she slipped over to the side, giving him the space to open the fridge himself. 

“I promised Antigone omelettes for breakfast a while back, it’s probably about time I made good on that,” Jonathan remarked quietly, not even looking her way. It was strange to see him so casual. He was usually so calculated, the persona he put on for customers was perfected in such a way that it had become difficult for Victoria to tell where the mask began and ended. This was a side of him that she very rarely saw, and even in the past she had only seen fleeting moments of it. After a moment of thought, he looked to her and suddenly she realized a small smile was pulling at her lips. “Would omelettes be good for you?” 

"Omelettes would be wonderful," she answered, surprised by how smoothly the words came out. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, she placed an elbow on the surface, bringing a hand up to rest her chin on. Victoria watched Jonathan prepare the eggs fondly, although she didn't completely realize it. All she knew was that she was very happy here, in this moment.


	7. terrance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gravity falls au. terrance is the pup's name.

"I couldn't just leave the poor thing on the side of the road, Jonathan," Victoria quietly defended herself. A soft sigh followed. 

"I mean…you could have," he said simply, before quickly adding on (after receiving a small glare), "Or, you could've taken it somewhere else, you didn't have to bring it here." There was a small whine from between Victoria's arms and she shifted slightly to allow the small puppy there to get comfortable. The tiny thing was mostly grey with specks of black dotting all along and small marks of brown on his face and paws. When she first saw him, she was immediately reminded of Jonathan by it's icy blue eyes. 

"Oh, c'mon, even you have to admit that he's adorable," she cooed, her eyes lingering on the dog for a moment before moving onto Jonathan. His lips tightened to keep himself from smiling at her, wondering for a moment if she realized that the fact that she was adorable was absolutely winning him over--he would keep that thought to himself though. 

"Fine," he finally breathed out, crossing his arms, "Try and make sure he doesn't make any messes though…" 

Next thing Jonathan realizes is that Victoria is suddenly very close to him and up on her tip toes. Her lips hit his cheek soft and quickly, a tiny peck of a kiss. 

"Thank you," she says softly, her excitement evident through her voice, "Gotta go show the new addition off to Tinny and Oli." 

He turns his head slightly to watch her disappear upstairs and resists the urge to touch his cheek. A small smile is creeping onto his face as he finally reminds himself to breathe.


	8. scarecrow

Victoria had had a poor taste in men before in her life but never anything quite like this. Even with Oliver's warnings that something was up with Jonathan after he was removed from his position at the university and became more distant, it was still an absolute shock. Part of her still refused to believe it. 

But now, with Jonathan himself standing in her doorway, soaked from the pouring rain and clutching his mask in one hand, clutching his side with the other, it was impossible for her to deny it any longer. The news reports of his arrest as "Scarecrow" had been all over the news just weeks ago, apparently the news of his escape from Arkham hadn't hit yet. 

She stood staring at him like a deer in the headlights, one hand still clutching the door's handle. He was honestly expecting her to slam it shut on him but after a few moments of stillness, Jonathan carefully stepped a foot inside. The movement finally seemed to snap Victoria from her daze. 

"Wait--you think you can just...come in?" she asks incredulously, her voice raising an octave for a moment, "God, I should be calling the cops right now, I--" 

"Don't do that," he snaps at her, stepping fully into the entrance, moving close enough to her that she reflexively takes a step back. Jonathan stares down at her intensely for a moment, watching as her bottom lip begins to tremble slightly. He only feels regret when she suddenly looks away and moves past him, heading for her living room. Quickly, he kicks the door closed behind him and follows after her. 

"Listen, I--" he begins strongly but immediately finds himself struggling with his words. This was something that he very rarely did and the words felt incredibly awkward on his tongue, but for her... "I'm sorry." 

Victoria seems to freeze at that, clearly surprised but also bristling with sudden anger. She can feel a few tears trail down her face and quickly brushes them away with her thumb, keeping her back to him. 

"Don't," she hisses at him.


End file.
